'Media should bridge gap between Mathematicians and people'

SummaryIndia has been home to mathematicians since ancient times, but the country currently ranks very low in mathematics education, experts at a seminar here lamented.

India has been home to mathematicians since ancient times, but the country currently ranks very low in mathematics education, experts at a seminar here lamented.

The speakers also felt that media should bridge the gap between the mathematicians and people.

Some of the world's renowned mathematicians were born in India, including Aryabhata, Bhaskara, Bhaskara II and Madhava. Modern times have seen mathematicians such as Srinivas Ramanujan, Chandrashekhar Subramanian and Harish Chandra emerging from the country.

This was highlighted at a seminar on `Mathematics and Science Communication for Media Persons', organised by Vigyan Prasar and National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) on November 23 here.

It was a part of the activities being organised during 2012 which has been declared the National Year of Mathematics to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Ramanujan.

Speaking on the occasion, Science writer and journalist S Ananthanarayanan stressed the contemporary relevance of mathematics in everyday life. He said there was a need for appreciation of mathematics and science by the general public.

People, he said, did not know about professional mathematicians and the work they do. Media can act as a bridge between experts and the public by facilitating an interaction.

Otherwise, he said, both will continue to live in two different worlds and people will not be able to understand and appreciate the work being done by mathematicians and